This chapter in the book of Revelation is the most detailed chapter in the Bible on the “person” of the “Anti-christ”. Anyone who is interested in knowing about this member of the “Satanic Trinity” must spend some time in the book of Revelation.

The word “Beast” is used in this chapter and through the rest of the book of Revelation and is referring to the “Anti-christ”. This name for the “Satanically energized” world “dictator” in the last days is one of 27 names for this major player in the Tribulation Period.

In verses 1 and 2 we see that the “Beast” comes up out of the “sea” and there is a connection between a “leopard, bear and lion”. These references to these symbols are looking back at Daniel 7 where Daniel has a “dream” and sees these symbols as the coming “Gentile world powers”.

This is basically saying that the “Anti-christ” is a Gentile coming out of the “Revived Roman Empire”, the “ten horns” of verse 1 and Daniel 7:7. The reason the Jews accept a “Messiah”, i.e. “False Messiah”, that is a Gentile is II Thessalonians 2:8-12.

Paul writes that after the Rapture when the Anti-christ appears the Jews will accept this Gentile as their “Messiah” because those that rejected the “love of the truth” that they might get saved, God will send them a strong delusion that they will believe the “lie” of Satan and accept this “False Messiah”.

There is so much more that we could share about this passage. For example, verses 16-17, the part about the need for taking the “mark of the Beast” so that they can buy and sell during the Tribulation. Interestingly, the present “global economic crisis” is setting the stage, world-wide, for this prophetic scenario to be fulfilled (see my CD series “Age of Anti-christ”).

I believe the human male that will be “energized” by Satan and become the Antichrist” is alive and well on Planet Earth and ready to be revealed. Remember, II Thessalonians 2:3 says that the Rapture must happen before the Anti-christ will appear. We are at that point in history right now.

That being the case we all must live as if today is the day that the Lord will shout to call us to be with Him in the heavens. There is not one prophecy that must be fulfilled before the Rapture. Every prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled happens after the Rapture. Today could be the day that the Rapture happens, keep looking up.

PRAYER THOT: Dear Lord, thank you for the scriptures that inform each of us about the coming days of judgment and the characters that will play a role in this “end-time drama” with the “final act” about to begin. Help me to live as if it could happen at “any moment” because it could.